2020 will be one for the history books with COVID-19 bombarding every facet of life, especially the workforce. While we strive to maintain social distancing and keep our communities healthy, many employers and employees have suddenly been thrust into the arena of telework with nothing more than laptops,e-mail addresses, and the guidance of “we will figure it out.”
Employees who have never worked from home are balancing family life including children who are out of school and transitioning to digital learning platforms for the first time. They are trying to keep their kids educated, entertained, fed (every 5 minutes) and emotionally supported during this uncertain time in society. Some might be supporting older parents or loved ones while trying to provide care from an appropriate social distance. Still others might be dealing with depression and feelings of isolation while they shelter in place at home alone.
Despite of all of this, employees are finding new and creative ways to keep businesses running. They are answering e-mails, conducting conference calls (possibly in their slippers), sending invoices at midnight when the kids are asleep, processing orders while FaceTiming with family they can’t physically be with, answering customer service questions while cooking dinner, and maybe even watching some Netflix in between (good for them!)
What does all this mean for business? It means if your employees are operating from home, they are working HARD mentally and emotionally. For many companies, this is new territory and the employees are innovating how work is done in new and exciting ways. Now is the time to check on your employees and their families – send them a note of encouragement and thanks. Communication, in a variety of forms, about what is happening with work, customers, and future planning must happen frequently – but without bombarding the employees that leads to information overload. All messages you send need to be clear particularly about guidelines – such as hours or availability – and goals for measuring success. Don’t forget to ask for input from your employees during these changing times. Lastly, think about how these unexpected work opportunities for your employees might change your policies and procedures going forward. For example, is there room for your organization to make changes based on that work you see from your employees? Might there be room for a flex time or telework policy? What could your office culture look like when social interaction resumes?
If you would like an opportunity to learn about leadership methods during a crisis or explore coaching options for you or those in your organization, please reach out to us at WPI – we are here to help. Above all, be kind to each other and wash your hands.